Semi-final heartache for Under-18s

A towering header from a corner from David Angibeaud saw Crystal Palace escape with a 1-0 win in Wednesday’s Under-18 Premier League Cup semi-final.

After we controlled much of the first half at Hotspur Way, the Eagles squandered a couple of chances at the start of the second period before getting their noses in front in the 81st minute, Angibeaud nodding Jasper Judd’s set-piece inside the far post.

We’d earlier gone close to a breakthrough when George Feeney’s effort from outside the box hit the post, while late attempts to force an equaliser from Malachi Hardy, Ronny Moncur and Harry Byrne fell by the wayside as we suffered heartache in our bid to reach the final.

Neither team meaningfully tested the opposing goalkeeper in the first 45 minutes, although we had the better of the half overall. Reiss Elliott-Parris almost broke the deadlock inside five minutes when he latched onto Tye Hall’s quickly-taken free-kick from deep in our half and guided the ball beyond Lucca Benetton, only for defender Dylan Monk to come across and clear with the goal gaping, while Tynan Thompson later cut in from the left and saw a deflected right-foot shot sail wide of the far post.

Palace squandered a couple of opportunities shortly after half-time with Ben Casey’s header well saved by Dylan Thompson, with both Angibeaud and substitute Raihaan Anderson unable to capitalise at the near post from Joel Drakes-Thomas’ right-sided cut-back shortly afterwards.

Tye Hall teed up Feeney to tease an effort against the post from 20 yards following a short corner on 71 minutes, while Thompson was at his best to deny Casey again moments afterwards as the Palace number nine surged into space in the inside right channel, the keeper making himself big to divert the forward’s shot just wide.

Ultimately, though, the game was decided by fine margins. Palace forged ahead on 81 minutes when Angibeaud nodded in Judd’s corner, while we were a whisker away from levelling the tie up in the first of six added minutes when Hardy controlled Moncur’s low ball into the box from the left but agonisingly fired wide on his left foot. Moncur’s deflected shot was claimed by Benetton as we kept pushing while our last chance came and went in the final seconds when Byrne’s low free-kick was saved, with Moncur unable to steer the rebound on target under heavy pressure from Anderson.